


dreams change and baby, roots grow strong

by notthebigspoon



Series: After the Rain [7]
Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-11
Updated: 2012-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-11 21:30:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/483085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthebigspoon/pseuds/notthebigspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because of course Eli having dinner with his parents has an endgame.</p><p>Title taken from Hey Daisy by Drew Womack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	dreams change and baby, roots grow strong

The upside to New Orleans is that while it's too far for Eli to make the trip home, it's close enough for his parents to come in and see him. It hadn't taken all that much convincing, just telling them it could be a quick little vacation. His dad had pretended to think about it for all of five minutes while his mom had started packing not long after Eli called her.

They wait for him after the game at some restaurant his mom had been wanting to try. He hugs them both and kisses his mom's cheek before sitting down and pulling his chair up. The waitress brings him the iced tea he asks for and takes his order. They exchange the usual pleasantries. His mom asks if he's been eating enough, pinching his cheek and telling him he's too skinny without Jonathan around to feed him.

Yeah right.

“And sweetheart, what on earth happened to your face and arm? You're all tore up!”

Eli blinks at her, touching his cheek before looking at his arm and the scratches that criss cross his skin. He sighs. “Johnny's cat. Went out to see him on my day off and the damn thing absolutely hates me. Any time it thought I was getting too close to Jonathan, it would scratch me.”

“When did he get a cat?”

“Last week. It followed him into the stadium. He claims one of his teammates guilted him into keeping it but I think it was just him being a marshmallow. He loves that stupid thing.” Eli mutters, fishing his phone out of his pocket. He thumbs through his pictures and holds it up. The picture is of Jonathan slouched on the couch watching TV, Mercutio perched on his shoulder like an evil, furry parrot.

“Well isn't that _precious_. Oh, honey, you have to send me that.” His mother coos and Eli huffs. He should have known better than to expect any sympathy.

“Not sweet, evil! It. Hates. Me.”

Still, he sends the picture to his mother and then shows her how to set that as Jonathan's profile pic for when he calls her. He mutters about it all the while and earns a smack upside the head for his language.

“Sorry Mama.”

***

Eli: Showed mom that pic of you and the hellcat. She loved it.

Johnny: Of course. We're cute.

Eli: Mama preferred precious but close.

Johnny: Either or. She loves me.

Eli: They redid the living room. Ma saw this picture wall on TV and had to have one. Mitzi helped her.

Johnny: That's nice?

Eli: Lot of pictures of Mitzi and her husband. And you and me. Center picture is from Christmas this year.

Johnny: The one with the mistletoe taped to your forehead?

Eli: And you kissing me. Yep.

Johnny: Gonna make the best friend story a little inadequate.

Eli: I told her it was okay if she said you were her son-in-law.

Johnny: You sure you're okay with that?

Eli: Wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.

Johnny: Then I'm okay with it.

Eli: Love you.

Johnny: Love you too.


End file.
